A bicycle highway (also called cycling superhighway) is a bicycle path which connects the most important destinations of cycling with high potential for long distance routes. It is designed for high velocity and a safe and attractive use. Bicycle highways used to exist mostly in European neighbouring countries, especially in the Netherlands. The development in Germany in this area is very dynamic. A high number of regions and conurbations (e.g. Duesseldorf, Leipzig, Köln, Mannheim, Ruhr-Region) are analyzing feasibility and potential, first sections are in realisation. The focus of this project is set on two main subjects. Subject 1 is the development of a practical method to estimate the potential of bicycle highway and related to that, a cost-benefit-analysis. Subject 2 contains the investigation of safety related elements of bicycle highways. Based on a local survey and observation, standardized design elements for roads and intersections in urban and rural areas have been developed. Subject 1: In a first step to develop a method for a potential analysis, existing studies and guidelines in Germany and neighbouring countries have been studied. The focus, especially for the cost-benefit-analysis, is set on the calculation of the modal shift. Depending on data availability of the investigated region two different methods were developed. A detailed method is based on already existing transport models and calculates modal shift potentials with a defined calculation method. An approximate method bases on a roughly estimation of the total traffic volume in a defined region and only derives modal shift potentials. For the development of the cost-benefit-analysis the BVWP 2030 (Federal Transport Infrastructure Plan), NKA-Rad (existing guideline for cost-benefitanalysis for bicycle infrastructure) and Standardisierte Bewertung (standardized tool for measuring public transport) were evaluated. Those benefit components which were relevant for bicycle highways were checked and adjusted if necessary. Subject 2: Regarding the safety on the open track of bicycle highways, this study will examine the level of conflict and the effect of different approaches to the separation of the cycle highway and the footpath. Behavioural observations and accident analyses have been conducted on seven test sections in Germany and the Netherlands. Results show that a width of at least 4 metres is basically suitable to accommodate a high volume of cycle traffic, as the number of conflicts among cyclists can be reduced from this width on. As the level of evidence concerning the safety at intersections between roads and independent bicycle highways having the right of way is low, ten test intersections of this type were subject of this investigation. In addition to accident analyses, behavioural observations on each test intersection have been conducted. Results show that intersections of roads and independent bicycle highways having the right of way tend to have a low level of conflict and can be applied to streets with a traffic volume up to 2000 vehicles per day. The perceptibility of these intersections should be increased by additional fitting elements. Furthermore, time losses and ranges of application for common types of intersections on bicycle highways were calculated this study. (Author/publisher)
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